Ice-can filler.



W.'E. NUTTER L G. P. ZELLER.

1GB CAN FILLER.

APPLICATION FILED 111.11.17. 1914.

Patented Oct. 27, 1914.

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ATTORNEY.

Hfl- MORRIS PETERS C0., PHOTO LITI' 1.. wAsHlNumN. n :i

UNITED srnrnsiignnr OFFICE.

WALTER E. NUTTER AND GEORGE P. ZELLE, OF ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI; SAIDNUTTER ASSIGNOR TO SAID ZELLER.

ICE-CAN FILLES'.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is an elevation looking at the narrow side ofan ice-can, with parts broken away, showing our invention appliedthereto, and set to filling position; Fig. 2 is a horizontalcross-section on the line 2-2 of Fig. .1, with can in top plan andturned ninety degrees from the position shown in Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a topplany of the hollow staff orv water delivery pipe and operating devicesmounted thereon; Fig. 4 is a vertical longitudinal section on theline--Ll of Fig. 3, parts being left inv elevation' Fic'. 5 is anelevational view lookino' to the left of Fig. 3; Fig. 6 is a verticalsectional detail through the middle ofthe valvecasing; and Fig. 7 is across-section on the line 7-7 of Fig. 6.

rlhe objectof our invention is to construct `an ice-can filler whichwill automatically cut off the supply of water to the can when theproper level of the liquid inthe can has been reached; one in which anair-tight joint is maintained about the valve-stein in the stuffing-boxtraversed by said stem; one inl which the height of the water in the canmayV beregulated; one preventing the influx of atmospheric air into thewater delivered to the can, thus avoiding the forma-tion of white ice,or one in which air bubbles are confined; one which is simple inconstruction, reliable land uniform in operation;r and one possessingfurther and other advantages better apparent from a detailed descriptionof the invention, which is as follows:

Referring to the drawings, C represents a conventional ice-can to whichthewater to be frozen is delivered, said can being yopen at the top.Through the open end of the can is inserted the ller, the same compris-Specification of Letters Patent.

ing a hollow tubular stad 1 to the bottom of p Patented Oct. 27,' 1914.Application led January 17, 1914. Serial No. 812,799. y

which is screwed a valve-casing 2, to which in turn is secured andshouldered abottom ring 3 provided with feet or projections 4 resting.on the can bottom, `the spaces I, between the said feet formingpassages for the` discharge of the water into the can. The ring 3 formsa seat for the valve V to which seat the valve is normally forced andheld by a compression spring 5 encircling the yalve-stem 6 traversingthe staff 1, and bearmg .with its opposite yends respectively againstthe valve and the guide-rib or spider w of the casing, the valve-stem 6operating freely through said spider. y

Disposed at convenient points along the staff 1 and spaced apart arecollars or fittings 7 provided with radial bosses 8 to which are securedthe ends'of the members 9, 9, constituting the guide-frame, and of themembers 10, 10, which constitute the guardframe respectively, theguard-frame being i intended in the main to protect' the float F slidingfreely along thestaif 1, a spring 11 resting on the bottom collar 7serving as a buffer for the float when the latter drops to its lowestposition. The frame 9, 9, is provided with diagonal corner portions 9',9',

by which the device is better guided into the can4 while being insertedthereinto, it being understood that the frame 9, k9, is fof suflicientdimension to engage the diagonal corners of the can (Fig. 2) whereby thefiller is held against any possible displacement when once insertedyinto the can and during thelling operation.

rlhe upper end of the valve-stem 6 traverses a stuling-box 12 at theupper end of the hollow-staff or pipe 1v, said stuffing-box beingpositioned at the outer bend between the staf 1 proper and thehorizontal intake extension or goose-neck 1 to which the kwater-supplyhose H is directlyl ysecured or coupled.

To the upperl free end of thevalve-stem 6 i is screwed (or otherwisesecured) a crossbar or cross-head 13 from the opposite ends of whichdepend pivotally the parallel links ice mass and the latter is 1Gformed" along the upper edgel of a rib 1T Surrounding the stufling-box12, and free to oscillate in a vertical plane about a pin a disposedtransversely of the rib 17, andA svanninfv said rib is a rino' or oke 18the i. same being provided with a post or latch 19 leading upwardly froma point adjacent the axis'ofy oscillationof the ring, and disposedsubstantially at right angles to kthe plane of the ring. The upper freeend of the post is provided with a shoulder m' and an offset orledge nat' the base of the shoulder, for the'support of the central nose20formed onthe cross-bar 13, the post having a concaved formation ordepression el' on its inner face directly beneaththe ledge n. The outerend of. the ringjor yoke 18 has formed thereon, orv otherwisesecuredthereto an arm or lug 21 through which is inserted the upperscrew-threaded endI of the depending trip- 1 pingrod or lever 22, thesame being held in any vertically adjusted position in said lug 21 bymeans of jam-nuts t, t, as well understood in the art. Thev lower end ofthe rod: 22 curves outward to as to ride freely over the sphericalsurface of the float F, when the latter engages the same in its upwardmovement with the rise of the waterin the ice-can C.

The fork-arms 15, 15, may be regarded as jointly forming the shortlever-arm of the lever the plane of disposition of said' arms beinginclined toV that 'of the` long arm or lever 15 proper, and dippingdownward therefrom (see Figs; 1, 4), whereby a maximum length may beimparted' to the links 14, 14, a feature of some importance invpreventing lateral binding on the valve-stem. The proximity of the postor latch 19 to the valve-stem also contributes toward maintaining theupper projecting end of the stem in true alinement with the portionconfined in the staff 1. The stem then works true inits stuffing-boxmaintaining a tight joint therein, and there is no possible chance ofoutside air leaking, orv being drawn through, the stuf'ng-box around thestem. into the staff 1 to mingle with the infiowing water. The result isthat when the charge ofy water is frozen, no air is conned intheperfectly trans` parent and compact.

The operation of the filler may be described as follows :-The yoke 18with the arm 21 and the post or latch 19operate,and in fact constitute abell-crank, the arm 18, 21, thereof being weighted and normally tendingto drop to horizontal position,V the rod 22 depending therefromcontributing largely to the weight of said arm. By tripping the rod 22outwardly, the latch V19 be- '14, pushing. down on the fork arms 15, 15

(see dotted position Fig. 4, and seated position of the valve in Fig.6); With the valve thus seated, the ller is inserted into a can as shownin Figs. 1 and 2, and the valvelever15 is depressed (Figs. 1, 4), adepressionA of the lever causing the forks 15, 15, tov push upon thelinks 14, 14, the latter raising the cross-head 13 attached to thevalve-stem 6, whereby the valve V is opened or unseated allowing thewater to discharge from thek staff 1 into the tank C. )Vith the raisingof the valve V to open position, the latch 19 (previously tilted out ofengagement with the nose 20)'will, under the weight of the members 18,21, 22, automatically rengage itself with the nose 20, the ledge n beingbrought under the nose, and the shoulder m arresting the latch bystriking the edge of the nose (Figs. 1, 4). At the same time the lever22 will oscillate toward the staff 1. lVhen sufficient water accumulatesin the 'tank C, it will pick up the float F 95 and carry it upward untilthe float engages the lower curved end of the tripping'lever 22; As thefloat continues to rise it trips saidl lever outwardly, thus causing thebellcrank 18, 21, 19, to be tilted to the dotted 100 position shown inFig. 4 (the same position resorted to when. the device is lirst set foroperation) disengaging the latch 19 from the nose 20, and allowing thespring 5 to automatically close the valve and cut 0E the 105 water, thedepression Z on the latch 19 preventing anyv binding of the parts. rlfheapparatus with its valve closed, is then removed from the filled can anddeposited into another'empty can, the lever 15 is depressed 110 (towardthe intake extension 1) whereupon the valve V is picked up or unseated,the latch 19 again automatically re'e'ngaging the nose 20, the partsbeingv thus restored for delivering a charge of water into the next 115can' C (Fig. 1). This operationk is repeated, depending on the number ofcans to be filled'.

Obviously, the ller is not restricted to ice-cans, but; may be employedfor partially or wholly vfilling any liquid container.

It will be noticed that by the dipping of the fork members 15, 15,downward from the lever 15 proper, a maximum length may be given thelinks 14, 14, their lower ends eX'- tending below the top ofthestuifmgbox 12. 125 In this waythe arcs described by the sweep of thelinks are generated by radii of maximum length, which give the arcs agradual curvature, resulting ink practically no binding (lateral) on thevalve-stem. The stem 130 thus works true in its stuffing-box and thedanger of air leaking into the staif 1 does not arise. The closeness ofthe latch 19 to the valve-stem likewise contributes to the permanenttrueness of reciprocation of the stem in its stuhng-box.

To protect the tripping lever 22 against lateral displacement out of avertical plane passing throughthe axis of the sta 1, the latter isprovided with a slotted guide bracket 50 clamped to the staff at aproper height to clear the float F when said float is in its highestposition. A screw 51 secures the bracket in its vertically adjustedposition, though any equivalent means may be resorted to.

Having described our invention, what we claim is: t

1. A filler for liquid containers comprising a hollow stai havinointakeand discharge means for the liquid, a bottom dischargecontrol valve inthe staff, a casing for the Valve, a spring in the casing actuating thevalve in one direction, a valve-stem leadino from the valve through andbeyond the stall, a stuiiing-box for lthe upper end of the stem, across-head terminating the upper end of the valve-stem beyond thestuffing-box, a valve-lever pivoted adjacent the intake and providedwith downwardly inclined fork members, parallel links depending from thecross-head and coupling to the fork-members at a point below the upperendof the stuliingbox, an oscillating'latch coperating with thecross-head, a iioat riding on the hollowstaii and responding to thebuoyant action of the liquid, and intermediate connections between thefloat and latch for disengaging thelatter with a predetermined dischargeof liquid.

2. A iller for liquid containers comprising a hollow staff having intakeand discharge means for the liquid, a bottom dischargecontrol valve inthe staff, a valve-stem leading from the valve centrally through andbeyond the stall, a stuiiing-box for the upper portion of thestem, across-head at the free upper end of the stem, a laterally projectingnose on the cross-head, a forked bent valvelever pivoted adjacent theintake, links depending in vertical planes from the cross` head andcoupling to the fork members of the lever, a bell-crank oscillating in avertical plane pivoted at a point between the stuiiing-box and the axisof oscillation of the Valve-lever, said bell-crank comprising a weightedhorizontal yoke-arm or ring enveloping the stuliing box anda verticalpost or latch terminating in a supporting ledge adapted to shoulderagainst the nose of the cross-head, an adjustable tripping arm or levermounted on the weighted arm of the bell-crank, and extending downward, afloat riding along the staff for engaging and tripping said arm, and aspring in the stai for seating the discharge-control valve with arelease of the post from the nose of the cross-head. n

In testimony whereof we affix our signatures, in presence of twowitnesses.

WALTER E. NUTTER. eEoEeE P. ZELLEE.

Witnesses: n

EMIL STAREK, Y FANNIE E. WEBER.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for ve cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents,

Wuhington, D. C.

